Education, Higher - As introduced, prohibits imposing liability against a higher education institution for negligence in admitting, enrolling, or extending housing opportunities to a person who has been previously convicted of a criminal offense based solely upon the previous criminal conviction; prohibits use of the person's prior criminal record as evidence in a cause of action against a higher education institution for negligence in admitting, enrolling, or extending housing opportunities to the person. - Amends TCA Title 9; Title 28; Title 29; Title 40 and Title 49.

HB 1772 protects Tennessee higher education institutions (like colleges and universities) from lawsuits claiming negligence in admitting, enrolling, or providing housing to students with prior criminal convictions. It prohibits holding schools liable *solely* based on a student’s past conviction and bans using that criminal record as evidence in such cases. However, the law does not apply if the institution knew about a prior violent or violent sexual offense, or if it willfully allowed a student with such a history to remain enrolled. This bill does not create new lawsuits but changes how existing negligence claims can be handled for students with criminal records.